Online Shopping During the Holidays: More Good Than Bad

Avoid Crowds and Limited Supply

Reduce Your Stress and Shop Online for Gifts

Some people love to shop during during the holidays because they insist that the holiday spirit is alive and well when they're out and about while shopping for loved ones. Others hate to fight with the crowds. I say tomaytoe, tomahtoh. Although many shoppers still enjoy the hustle and bustle of doing their holiday shopping in traditional stores and may also enjoy the festive decorations in malls and stores during the holiday season, many shoppers are glad to have the option to do at least part of their holiday shopping online. There are plenty of benefits to shopping online during the holidays. Two of the most common include being able to do last minute shopping online and the avoiding overcrowded stores during the holiday season.

Last Minute Shopping for Holiday Gifts

Although there are some shoppers who are organized enough to do their holiday shopping in advance, many (like me!) find themselves scrambling to purchase gifts at the last minute. These last minute shoppers far outnumber the well organized individuals who complete their holiday shopping months in advance. This category also includes the folks who were caught by surprise with a need to purchase gifts for a few extra people at the last minute. Fortunately for these last minute shoppers, online shopping takes a great deal of the stress out of last minute shopping because it merely involves powering up the computer and clicking away on the mouse to get what you need.

One of the greatest benefits of last minute shopping is the ability to ship gifts to friends and relatives. I have done this several times for birthdays and the holidays. My children have also been recipients of gifts purchased online and shipped directly from the retailer. I have also ordered flowers online for someone who lives thousands of miles away from me and they were delivered on the very same day. The available shipping options may even make it possible for shoppers to have these gifts arrive within 24 hours after making the purchase. Shoppers may pay a premium for these express shipping services but it is usually worth it for last minute shoppers who would otherwise be caught empty handed.

Avoiding Holiday Crowds by Shopping Online

The crowds at traditional stores can be huge during the holiday season. Finding a parking space often becomes stressful and simply navigating stores can be chaotic and tiring. While some shoppers thrive in this type of environment most shoppers find this to be taxing. Furthermore, while some shoppers may enjoy this type of environment for brief periods of time, many have difficulty completing their holiday shopping amid so much chaos. Fortunately, online shopping provides a welcomed escape to much of the holiday craziness of traditional stores.

Online shoppers can shop when it is most convenient for them and typically the most troubling crowd-related problems they experience is slow loading of websites which are overloaded by website visitors. Waiting for a few extra moments for a website to reload may be somewhat frustrating but it is significantly less stressful than standing in line at a crowded store for long periods of time.

Some online shoppers may grumble at shipping costs but just remember that shopping online can save you money when you consider the expensive gas you don't have to put in your car to get to the mall. Also, many online retailers offer free shipping when you spend over their specified limit. Because of these kinds of free shipping offers, it pays to buy more than one gift or other kind of item to get your purchase total high enough so that you get free shipping.

Added Benefits to Shopping Online During the Holidays

There are also other benefits to holiday shopping online and they don’t necessarily apply to the holidayCredit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2664 season but certainly simplify the process of shopping online for holiday gifts. One of these benefits is the ability to easily comparison shop. Online, comparison shopping is as easy as opening two different websites from competitors in two of your browser screens and comparing the products they have available and their prices. This is preferable to running from one store to another to find out a particular item and how much each store is currently charging for this item. Instead, you can compare products with the click of a mouse!

Another reason to shop online is because you can purchase items from stores located far away. Many of the items you can purchase from traditional big box stores can be purchased from the big box stores' websites. But the big plus to shopping online is that you can order products that you don't have locally. Holiday shoppers who limit themselves to traditional stores are also limiting the products which are available to them. Traditional shoppers can only purchase items which they physically find in a store while online shoppers can search stores around the world for a particular item. This can be particular useful for shoppers who are looking for a specific item which is hard to locate. One supersite which offers shoppers around the world a diverse stock and shopping experience is Amazon.com where you can order the latest Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy DVD release or a Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker in which a turkey can be smoked. Plus Amazon always has their fabulous free shipping offer on many items over $25. All this and more makes Amazon one of several big box websites that has something for everyone!

The next time you're shopping for gifts, whether during the holidays or not, keep in mind that shopping online can make the experience downright pleasant if you don't like shopping in crowded stores and if you want to shop the goods of the whole world rather than just what's available in your town. For the person who doesn't like holiday shopping or has to get something in a hurry, online shopping can be a life saver.

Comments

As someone who ends up doing all his holiday shopping at the wrong time i definitely agree with your position on shopping online instead. Amazon saved my life last christmas as i'd bought nothing by mid december!